toyota

Cloud computing could transform car interiors

Storing data outside vehicles could reduce clutter inside.

Access to the "cloud," through a wireless Internet connection in a car, has automakers thinking out of the box.

Potential features go far beyond present uses of in-car Internet access. With the expanded data storage available, a car could become a highly customized personal assistant connected to the owner's home, smartphone, and computer.

For example, a car could automatically tailor ride and handling characteristics for an individual driver on an individual route, instead of having the driver choose from a limited number of modes such as "sport" … Read more

2012 Green Car of the Year finalists named

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric, 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, 2012 Mitsubishi i, 2012 Toyota Prius v, and 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI are all finalists for 2012 Green Car of the Year, Green Car Journal announced today in a press release.

The winner will be announced during a press conference at a Los Angeles Auto Show press day on November 17. This marks the seventh consecutive year the award has been given out.

Green Car Journal editors considered dozens of models that were designed to reduce their environmental impact and be more energy-efficient. According to the press release, the cars … Read more

Toyota promotes FT-86 II concept with Facebook game

Toyota promotes its new sports car, based on the FT-86 II concept, in a Facebook racing game, with track decorated uisng your Facebook content.

We are almost tired of waiting for Toyota's new sports car, which appeared at multiple car shows in concept form as the FT-86 II and the Scion FR-S, the most recent version. We've caressed the sleek sides of the concept at shows, pored over photos and specifications released by Toyota, and even driven the car virtually in Gran Turismo 5.

But Toyota is not quite ready to release the car to the public. In another bit of promotion, the company released a Facebook game, Social Network Racer, which lets you pilot the FR-S/FT-86 II around a custom course. We drove a couple of hot laps in the game to see if it is worth your time.… Read more

Video list: Top connected car technologies

Here is an essential set of CNET videos to introduce you to what's happening in the connected car space. It's taking place on many fronts, so this is just a snapshot and can't possibly be complete so stay on top of all the latest in connected cars at Cars.CNET.com.

Toyota Entune shows a smart way of prepackaging a suite of apps so car owners don't have to manage them.

Cadillac CUE will debut in 2012 with a lot of cues from the smartphone home screen and computer desktop.

The GM OnStar Mobile App is … Read more

Toyota returns to 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours with LMP1 hybrid race car

Toyota announced Friday that it will compete in the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours with a new race car powered by a petrol hybrid powertrain.

According to the automaker, the LMP1 will be a collaborative effort: Toyota Motorsport in Germany will design the chassis, and the car will be equipped with a hybrid gas powertrain engineered by Toyota in Japan.

A new race team will be organized out of Toyota Motorsport's Cologne headquarters, the company said in a press release. And in addition to competing in the 80th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 16 and 17, … Read more

In electric-car stakes, automakers spread their bets

DEARBORN, Mich.--Electrification is the biggest change to hit the auto industry in decades. But with little clarity on how the technology will play out in the future, automakers are laying down multiple billion-dollar bets.

After years of talking about plug-in electric vehicles, automakers can finally point to actual products, actual customers, and the beginnings of a charging infrastructure.

Yet automakers still don't know which products will resonate with consumers. The result is a spate of all-electric cars and a spectrum of hybrids built around different-size batteries.

What combination of battery and gas engine will be most popular with … Read more

Car Tech Live 235: Good old boys in an F-150 (podcast)

On this week's show, OnStar decides not to be nosy, BMW's M5 makes some noise, and we get our truck on.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 235 SHOW NOTES

• OnStar reverses snooping policy

• BMW officially rebrands itself as Ultimate Poser Car

• M-B gets a 4-cyl in the U.S.

• Artist renders next-gen Toyota Supra concept

• Nissan building GT-R based 'Super Juke' (rumor)

Artist renders next-gen Toyota Supra concept

We know that the Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86) will be getting a spiritual successor in whatever vehicle comes out of the other end of the development of the FT-86 concept. However, although Toyota fanatics have been howling for a replacement for the Supra for much longer, Toyota hasn't openly committed to plans to revive its former halo car. That doesn't stop talented artists from taking their own cracks at designing the next Toyota Supra.

Speedhunters, an automotive lifestyle blog run by the guys behind EA's Need for Speed series of racing sims, is usually home to some … Read more

10 automakers pioneer app integration

Automakers used to innovate slowly, but this year the race is on for integrating apps into the car, and it is moving at a whirlwind pace. Last year Ford kicked off this new era of car technology by integrating Pandora through its Sync AppLink system, and this year nine other automakers jumped on the bandwagon to some degree.

We were impressed to see both Toyota and GM, in the space of a single year, demonstrate and prepare to launch app integration in 2012 model year vehicles.

App integration means bringing services such as Pandora, Google search, and Twitter into the … Read more

Prius' artificial engine noise demonstrated, explained

The approval of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act last year essentially mandated that electric vehicles or hybrids running only on electric power--devoid of the actual engine noise that makes pedestrians (particularly the visually impaired) aware that a vehicle is approaching--must now generate some sort of artificial proximity notification noise. However, although the Act mandated that EVs must make a sound, it didn't specify exactly what sound they should make. This means that every EV and hybrid manufacturer is free to make its cars sound like anything.

Toyota has released a video that explains the vehicle proximity notification sound designed … Read more